Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) is issuing its call for tender for the second phase of the WCP in developing countries. Interested academic institutions are invited to submit proposals by December 1.
 
The WCP was originally launched in 2010 as a capacity-building project. It aims to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the multi-lateral trading system among academics and policy makers in developing countries through teaching, research and outreach activities in academic institutions. The WCP targets academic institutions established in developing and least developing countries, which are Members or Observers in the WTO (please see:  http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org6_e.htm for a list of WTO Members and Observers).
 
 
The programme is implemented through partnership agreements between the WTO Secretariat and selected institutions.  The WTO provides financial, scientific and technical support to its partners in three interdependent pillars: research, curriculum development and outreach activities. In the first phase of the WCP (2010-2013), the WTO provided financial support to 14 institutions in developing countries. Information on outcomes of that first phase is available on the public WCP website. Through this second call for tender the WTO wishes to extend the WCP network by an additional seven Chairs. The second phase of the WCP benefits from financial support of the Netherlands.
 
 
The WCP streamlines academic cooperation activities of the WTO by providing dedicated support to beneficiary institutions in their specific priority areas in the field of trade policy, international trade, international relations and international economic law. The WCP will provide financial support of up to CHF 50,000 per annum per institution for a period of up to four years to selected Chair holders. Chair holders will be chosen through a competitive selection process. In making their selection, the WTO Secretariat supported by the WCP Advisory Board will take into account a number of criteria, including: i) potential for developing capacities at the host institution; ii) relevance of research topics in relation to trade policy and WTO-related issues; iii) quality of research proposals; iv) expected results with respect to the offering of new and updated courses; v) Potential for interaction with policy-making institutions (such as government departments); vi) expected results with respect to networking with other academic institutions; vii) strategy towards the future human and financial sustainability; and viii) potential for maintaining a team of critical mass in the host institution to collaborate in Chair holder activities. 
 
More information is contained in the WCP Call for Tender 2013.  Interested academic institutions established in developing countries that are Member of the WTO are invited to submit their proposals using the WCP Application Form. The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2013. Selected chairs will be notified early 2014.
 
Please see the WCP website: https://iconnect.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/train_e/,DanaInfo=.awptnmsmzm05p3+chairs_prog_e.htm
The documents are also saved on the documents section of the WCP Dedicated Website